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Sunday, October 21, 2012

Our daughter was born on Monday. She is amazing. I don't even know how to explain it. One moment, we're anxiously awaiting her arrival and the next moment she's here. I absolutely adore every inch and pound of her and can't believe that she's a creation from my wife and me. It's such an incredibly unique feeling that is almost indescribable.It's hard to sum up feelings on our baby owl. We both wanted children and were as prepared for her as anyone could be, even though we'd admit that we understood that you're never really fully prepared for kids. She is such an amazing little thing. I keep thinking, "She is so cute." I feel an immediate connection in the sense that I always want to look at her. If we're in the same room, I just want to make sure she's okay. I am surprised that we've been able to distinguish certain sounds so far and she is a noisy girl, but not necessarily what you might think. She loves to whimper and grunt even when she sleeps...let me correct that. She whimpers and grunts even when she sleeps and I love listening to her. I can't believe she's mine. She and her sounds make me dream even more. I dream to not only make my dreams and my wife's dream come true, but I can't wait to take care of her and help her fulfill her dreams as she gets older. Does she want to be a swimmer? Will she want to play music? Will she follow in mommy and nana's footsteps and become a teacher? Will she be a writer like her daddy and auntie?I'm not sure what she will be when she gets older, but I'm so happy that I get to help her become that person. I waited a long time to meet the person that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with and now we both get to spend the rest of our lives helping her do the same. It'll be a long time before she starts dating, but I can't wait to be that protective guide for her. My first thought is to ball her up in a blanket and protect her for the rest of my life, but I hope the relationship I have with my wife will show her the way. I hope she sees the love we have for her and each other; I want this love to be the example. I will try to protect her as much and for as long as I can, but my hope is to provide her with the strength to look out for herself when it's time for her to move on beyond dear old mom and dad. Again, it'll be a long time before that happens, but that's what I can't wait for. I can't wait to experience the years from now until that point. I can't wait to share the laughs, the cries, the smirks, the pouts, and everything that comes with being a baby, toddler, kid, teen, and adult.I am a first time parent and very new at this, but I definitely know what I want for our daughter. I want her to be happy. She is so precious and I just want to protect her. There will come a time when I'll need to let go of that blanket and let her watch out for herself, but I'm so happy I don't have to do that yet. I'm so happy that we get to share our love for her and give her all of the attention we want to give her. She is amazing. She was just born on Monday and I already can't imagine my life without her.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

It's been a very exciting summer. I'd like to take a bloggortunity to share the things I found exciting over the past month as the summer ended. I normally save the best for last, but not in this case; I'll talk about our Baby Owl. She is big and she is almost here.

We have gotten the baby's room completely ready; the crib, shelves, wall decals, the alphabet hanging on the wall, and any other thing necessary for the room. We've taken weekly pictures to show the changes, which is pretty amazing to see throughout the entire term. There's another month before the due date, but we are wondering if she'll wait that long. We were able to receive several 3D photos of her and let's just say that one of us referred to her as a baby sumo wrestler. I'm never one to point fingers...so how about I use arrows? me >>> wife

On a different side of exciting, I'd like to share some other things that have made this past month a great one. I went to my first Comic Con. It was AMAZING! There were so many fantastic things to see. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. They also weren't afraid to get a little dressed up. The wide array of costumes was definitely worth the price of admission alone. There were some really fantastic outfits that were put together. It was so cool to see strangers so willing to ask each other for photographs with one another, because one thought the other's costume was spectacular. Also, I am really glad to have spent a little money to purchase my first comic books since I was a teenager. As for Comic Con, my first experience was here in Baltimore and I'm already looking forward to next year's...or one in another city much sooner. I will definitely go again.

Connected to this event, I was very fortunate to have been allowed to join in a photograph with friends. This particular photograph is very cool, because it includes Stan Lee. I can't tell you how great it was to get a picture taken with the legend. I was also wearing a particular t-shirt, which means that Stan Lee and @STLakata are in the same picture together. I'd like to thank a particular individual for making this happen. You know who you are...THANK YOU!

Next, I'm excited about a particular person following me on Twitter and Google+. Yes, this means that I'm easy to please, but it's REALLY awesome none-the-less. I am speaking about the great author, James Rollins. How cool is that? One of my favorite authors follows me. I think that's something to be happy about, which is why I'm sharing. THANK YOU for the follow!

Here comes a Twitter/Blog mention. THANK YOU to everyone involved with #GUTGAA. There are so many talented writers out there and it's been great getting to know so many of them. I am really enjoying the event and look forward to sharing more tweets or comments. This includes the conversations that have nothing to do with writing, but are absolutely dessert specific. If you start talking about ice cream, lava cake, brownies, pumpkin bars, frosting, or anything slightly related to that, there's a good chance that I've joined the conversation or lost all other thoughts beyond the realm of food.

Does anyone like gaming? I've really enjoyed watching TableTop by Geek & Sundry. Wil Wheaton hosts this show and it is so fun. It reminds me of how much I enjoy board games and how I'd love to play them more often. This is a fantastic show and I encourage everyone to take a moment to stop by and check all of the entertainment they provide. I'm fairly new to Geek & Sundry and I'm currently enjoying The Flog. You can also subscribe to their YouTube for all of their video updates.

Lastly, I've completed part two in The Weiland Kershaw Series. I released book one last year and will be releasing the second one on 9/30/12. I mention this for one reason in particular. I am so thankful for the wonderful family and friends I have. There have been so many individuals that have given so many encouraging words of support during the entire process. It definitely makes the process easier when there are so many others that are so happy for my own success. I want to say THANK YOU to EVERYONE that has been so enthusiastic and kind during the beginning of my writing career.

The end of summer had a lot of great things, and the beginning of fall will surely add some more excitement into our lives. I'm certain my wife will THANK our baby if she arrives a little early.

Monday, September 3, 2012

Where do you write?
It varies. I write in bed or in the living room. I've even written during my lunch periods at work.

Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?
It's the September issue of Baltimore Magazine on my bedside table.

Favorite time to write?
I'd probably have to say during the afternoon on the weekend. Actually, during the afternoon on any day, since I've had a lot of productive lunches before.

Drink of choice while writing?
I always have ice water with me. I drink a lot of water.

When writing, do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?
It can vary, but I usually have something turned on for background noise. It's usually the TV on a low volume, but no show in particular.

What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?
I'm about to publish my second book, which is part two in a series. I guess my inspiration has come from the amount of reading I've done over the past few years. Working for a university definitely had a nice perk of checking out a lot of books out from its library. I'd written poetry, short stories, and songs in the past, but it wasn't until I had read so many great stories that it made me realize how much I always wanted to write books. I loved the idea of creating a work of dystopian fiction. I self published part one in November 2011.

What's your most valuable writing tip?
Try to think of something unique. It can be a character's name or personality, plot, location, or whatever. Let the unique guide your story.

BIO:
S. T. Lakata
Married; June 2011
I left my old job with Radford University, moved to Baltimore, and got married. My wife and I have been seeing each other since October 2008. We're expecting our first baby around mid-October. It's going to be a girl and her nickname is "baby owl."

I really enjoy to run when I can, listen to music, try new foods, and seeing friends and family. I would love to eventually be a full-time writer and have that be my career. I'm really excited about being a father. I'm happy and can't wait to meet her.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

My wife is 30 weeks pregnant as of Sunday. She and the baby are doing well (knock on wood) and we are really looking forward to meeting our "baby owl." Now, the nickname of our baby is for two reasons. First, we're not letting anyone know what our baby's name will be until she's here. Second, Meghan's dad said that she looked like an owl after looking at the first ultrasound picture and to be fair, her eyes were very big and had an owl-like quality to them. We both have been doing whatever we can to be prepared for her after she's delivered. We already painted the baby room last summer. We went with a neutral color, which did make it easier since we knew that we'd be trying after we got married. We have dressers, a glider chair, a book case, and a baby step stool in the room. We also have wooden letters for the alphabet and decals on the wall to help make the room cozier for her.

I am very excited for baby owl to get here. I have an idea of what to expect, but know that everyone of those notions will change once she does arrive. There are some things that I find stressful, but this is something that I'm not crazy about...yet. I do admit that I will be very protective of her, especially when the dating aspect comes into her life. I sometimes imagine the scene in Bad Boys 2, but maybe not that extreme. If you've seen the movie you know what I'm talking about. I am looking forward to one thing. I can't wait to sit down with my feet kicked up with the TV on and have my baby resting on me.

Meghan has been so wonderful throughout this entire pregnancy. She's been making clothes, diapers, baby wipes, hats, a nursing cover, and flowers to accessorize. There have been a few days of major discomfort for her, but she's been amazingly tough throughout this entire process. I try to ease her pain with massages wherever she's in pain, but it's frustrating when we both know that sometimes it's not much help. Also, she's taken classes to get 30 credits beyond her Master's degree this summer. How awesome is that? She's so excited for her daughter to arrive and it makes me so happy to see that on her face when she talks about her.

We're both anxious for her to get here. We're both ready to meet our daughter. We can't wait.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Welcome to another free preview of New Middleport: The Senses of Weiland Kershaw. You can catch up with the first five chapters that have been previously released on my blog. This is chapter six for your enjoyment.

Chapter 6 (Safe
Haven)

The door widens and she hastens me and my friends into her
apartment. She goes outside with a
couple wet rags to clean up the blood and begins shutting us in before anyone
knows the difference.

“Bring the injured boy through here.”
The cracking sound we heard earlier turns out to be a secret passage
that was hard plastered so anyone that did break into this place would not know
that anything was amiss.

As soon as we are all through the entry way, the protector pulls a
lever and shut us back in. She pulls out
a remote control and presses a button and the current I heard before is back. We head downward through a couple doorways
and she locks them all behind us. We’ve
come a long way and I have to estimate that we’re at least three levels down
when we enter a huge cavernous space.

“Whoa.” It’s the first time
Cole has said anything since the death stage.
It’s understandable that he’s completely lost with all of this. I’d never told Cole anything about me having
a protector, so obviously he wouldn’t know anything about where we were
going. He has Cassidy to look after and
I didn’t want to burden him with more information that might take his focus
away from her.

The room has multiple hallways, doors at multiple levels, and ladders
to reach those that are up high. This
protector pulls out a mattress and has Jay and Cole place Lawson on his
stomach. She’s moving quickly to gather
towels, alcohol, needle, thread, and some jars of stuff I’ve never seen
before. Some of these glass jars have
pills, while others have stuff that look like some sort of mushroom paste.

Jay and Cole sit down on some chairs off to the side as she silently
works on Lawson. She quickly pours
alcohol over all of his wounds. She’s
cleaning very rough as she starts with his hand in an attempt to get rid of any
germs that may have come from the weapons that caused his injuries or from the
trip here. After she’s cleaned his
fingers to the best of her ability, she starts pulling his skin upward from his
hand to sew shut his empty digits.

She’s very quick and all three areas are sewn shut faster than the
time it took to clean them. The focused
woman now concentrates on his back and does the same alcohol rub for all of the
lashings. There are plenty of openings
on his back from the whip, so it takes more time to clean it thoroughly. After she is done, she takes out the mushroom
paste and starts coating every one of his injuries, including his sewn up
hand. She places bandages over his back
and wraps his hand, and finishes by putting a wet cloth on his forehead.

Our protector comes over to us and speaks calmly, “He’ll be fine. His bandages will need to be changed
regularly and he should probably take some antibiotics once he wakes.”

“Okay. Now that he’s okay, can
someone please tell me what’s going on?” as Cole whispers with some heightened
intensity.

The protector allows me the grace to answer his question by going
through one of the cavern’s hallways.
Cole takes my explanation without any questions and finally slumps down
into his chair, while looking around the room.

There are plenty of books, diagrams, and what I imagine are medicine
jars all throughout the room. There’s a
low amount of light, but sufficient enough to where you don’t need to
squint. She comes back into the room
with a tea tray and something else.

We’ve had all of an hour and a half with this woman and I still don’t
even know her name. The tray is set down
next to a table close to the chairs occupied by Jay and Cole. She sets it down and turns to face me,
sensing my anticipation.

“My name is Marna Dey. And I’ve
been waiting 16 years for you to knock on my door. Although I wasn’t expecting so many guests,
I’m sure your father would have been happy knowing you’ve come across what
appear to be good friends. ”

The mention of my father distracts me quite a bit. She goes over to extend a hand to Jay or
Cole. Cole being closest stands up and
shakes her hand, “Cole Harrington ma’am.”

“It’s nice to meet you.”

Jay stands up next and takes her hand, “Ma’am. I’m Jayden Leeds.”

“It’s a pleasure.” Marna sits
down across from Jay and grabs a cup of tea.
It’s not until I realize that the other empty seat completes a circle
around the table. I take a seat as I
think about my father, and then I realize that Jay introduced himself by his
full first name. He has never done that
since I’ve met him, it has to do with his name being similar to one of the
rulers and not wanting to have anything remotely in common with the tyrants.

It’s as if he’s looking right through me when I’m wondering why he
introduced himself as Jayden. “You
trusted your dad and your dad trusted Mrs. Dey, and I trust you. It’s a full circle, hence the chairs, and I
figure that a woman that’s in the circle of trust should know my full name.”

I nod in understanding and give my attention back to Marna. “You mentioned my dad and that he’d be happy
with my friends?”

“Of course. He knew at some
point the end would come for him and it would be a lot sooner than he would
want it to be. That’s why he was
preparing you for all those years. He
started as soon as he could until you were seven. It was the only thing that he thought would
matter in the end, leaving you with the ability to fend for yourself and find
company that you could rely on.”

“Why…How would he know his end would come sooner than he’d want it to
be?”

“I’m surprised you haven’t guessed at that yet. Look around you, would there be a need for
this place during the previous ruler’s time.
And why would your father know of this place if he didn’t help to build
it.” And it hits me like I should've known it all along, "Because my father was part of the rebellion."

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Thank you for joining me in sharing another free preview of New Middleport: The Senses of Weiland Kershaw. If this is your first visit, the first four chapters are in my previous blog posts. Here is chapter five for your enjoyment.

Chapter 5 (1013)

Jay and Cole are looking at me in disbelief, wondering what I’m doing
staring at a blank wall. The section of
wall is midway between the last condemned apartment and the corner connecting
to the adjacent hallway.

One of the last things I was ever taught was the location of my
“protector” and why the apartments were boarded up. The rebellion came to its highest point right
before I was born, but there turned out to be many spies within the OCP. These spies gave locations of where rebels
were all over the city. It was a unified
strike to attack all of them at once, with many of them in 1013 Lockport. Some fled, most were killed, and all of the
residences were boarded up and labeled condemned with some type of paint. This helps thugs presently, because they
would know if anyone broke into any of these heavily fortified and empty
places.

I ball my hand into a fist and start swirling it around in a small
circle on the plaster. It made a
slightly annoying noise, but it was quiet enough not to draw any
attention. It’s this location that I
could always hear a slight surge of electricity, in the place I was told kept
my protector. My fist continued to swirl
my skin raw for a few minutes until I heard it.
It was the sound of an electrical current being shut off. My hand dropped down to my sides and I stepped
back, truly not knowing what to expect.

I almost forgot that Jay and Cole were there holding Lawson up with
blood spewing onto the ground. There was
a noticeable cracking sound coming from the wall and I stood back further. The wall was still in tack, but then I heard
movement beyond the area I had just been rolling circles. Someone has moved to the door of the
condemned apartment to my right. The
boards that cover the door and what I thought were nailed shut begin to slide
into the wall, while the door cracks open.

Jay has realized that this location is the one thing I never told
him. He knew that I was designated a
protector from my dad, but I was never truly sure if he understood why I never
told him the location. “I’ll be damned
for sure now that I’ve seen this.” Jay’s
whisper widens the eyes of the woman I’m now facing in the doorway. She pauses slightly at the sight of more
people than she’d expected at her door stop, but she returns her gaze to me and
looks at me expectantly. The day has
finally arrived and I’m facing this woman who has been waiting years to open
her door for me. I can’t help but smile
to have such a feeling of connection with someone I’ve never met and ask the
question my dad prepared me for, “What kind of day should all people fear?”

With a subtle and quiet voice, I hear my protector’s voice for the
first time. “Sunny ones.”

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Welcome again for another free preview of New Middleport: The Senses of Weiland Kershaw. This is the fourth chapter and you can catch up by checking out the first three chapters in my previous blog posts.

Chapter 4 (Ruling
Forces)

Inna throws the scissors down toward the girl’s feet so quickly that
she jumps back and an enforcer has to grab her before she falls from the
stage. The twisted smile comes with a
hearty laugh from the death show ruler as she must have gotten the answer she
was looking for. There’s such
satisfaction with what she has done that I know it’s one of the few times Jay
and I ever question a good laugh.

“Someone must claim this man now that this one has ended his
display.” There is a bellowing from the
crowd, but no one comes forward to the wooden steps of the stage to accept
responsibility. Normally, anyone that is
claimed is too far gone to survive, but the rulers do not want to waste
hospital space so they want the citizens to keep the soon dead until they can
be tossed in a designated alley for trash disposal.

Inna feigns surprise to the lack of support for the bleeding mess on
the already stained deck of the stage.
She reaches to her holster to snap loose her pistol. It’s not often that you see a gun, especially
since the current rulers have banned all firearms to those not deemed
responsible. I have only seen guns a few
times in my life and the majority of the time they were within a ruler’s reach.

I do not question Jay’s motives when he mouths “Jay Leads” and starts
walking toward the stage. I look to Cole
to signal pursuit as we follow Jay’s lead toward the stairs. The sudden movement gathers notice from
everyone, and even I must admit that I do not appreciate the attention
particularly from a ruler. “I see that a
few men are willing to take this man in until he bleeds out or infection takes
him. Here, for your duty to New
Middleport.”

Inna notions for some enforcers to throw a sack down to the ground
once we’ve gotten to the foot of the steps.
It falls with a clank and I already know that there are canned
vegetables inside, and possibly some bread.
“And don’t forget why you came for your food.” The enforcers don’t need any motivation to
pick up the Lawson kid and heave him down the steps. He’s airborne halfway down the steps until he
makes contact and rolls to the bottom.
At least the fall knocked him unconscious.

The display is over and the enforcers are binding up the girl to take
with them, while others break down the stage.
Why do all of that to take a little girl? Jay and Cole are already helping Lawson up
before I can think about it anymore.
“Where to Jay?” is the only thing Cole gets out before I realize what he
had in mind. Jay glances at me and I
realize that there’s no time to debate if we’re going to save his life. It’s forbidden to take a display to a
hospital unless you want to be put on display yourself, so I answer for Jay, “I
guess we’ll all find out together.”

We head back toward building 1013 in Lockport. It’s one of the only times I’ve ever heard
Jay confused in my life, “Why are we going back to your apartment?” I give a tired smile to Jay and Cole as they
both stare at each other for a second as they hold a near lifeless body. I’ve told Jay everything about me, with the
exception of one thing. “Let’s go,” is
all I say as I hold the door to the building open.

We all walk down the main hallway toward the elevator. The main hallway has nothing but condemned
apartments, an elevator that stopped working before I was born, and another
hallway. The other three keep going
around the right corner down to the end of that hallway that has a side
stairwell before they realize I’m not following them. At least one of them has a good excuse not to
notice my absence. There is a pause as I
can tell they’re waiting for me to open the stairwell door when I notice the
shuffle of feet to turn and notice I’m not there. There’s another pause and then a quick
scurrying down the hallway back toward the elevator. They turn the corner to find me leaning up
against a wall with, I can only imagine to them is, a wicked smile. I must admit that it’s almost unbearable to
contain my laughter.

It has become a rule with us not to talk within open spaces of a
building. Hallways in particular have a
nice way of echoing noise to those that may be near enough to be listening,
which is why I hold a finger to my smiling lips to make sure they don’t go
berserk with questions of “What the hell are you doing?”

I’m three quarters of the way down the hallway in front of a condemned
apartment. This apartment, like all that
are labeled condemned, is boarded up with so many boards that you can’t see any
part of the door.

***

“Why are all of the doors boarded up dad?”

“That’s a very important question son.
Do you think you’re old enough for the answer?”

“Yeah!”

My dad holds a finger to his smiling lips as he laughs at my youthful
exuberance. I can already tell that he
questions telling a seven year old the information he’s about to tell me, but
he whispers it to me just the same.

“Weiland, you need to understand that the world we live in is not the
way a human being should be living.
We’re not meant to be walking around afraid for our lives.”

“But I’ve never seen you afraid.”

“That’s because everything I do is to make sure you are safe. Now I will continue if you don’t interrupt,
because I can only risk telling you this one time.” My only recognition is an encouraging nod, so
he knows that I will be nothing less than attentive.

“The rulers do not care about the citizens of Port. They have only two interests; power and doing
whatever it takes to keep it.” He tells
me about the previous ruler when he was a teenager, and how everything was
different. They used to have
non-processed meat, real vegetables that don’t come from a can, showers that
don’t automatically turn off, and amazingly no displays. There was a time when people could feel safe,
and not only in their homes, but walking down the street.

“I used to walk down the street with your grandfather to the local
market to buy food for dinner. Food
wasn’t handed out as wage for working or for turning in a suspected rebel. No, everything was very different. People were free to speak and laugh loudly,
play music and dance, walk a pretty lady to her door after going for a long
walk in the country.”

My eyes grow in sudden fear of what was being said. “Yes Weiland, we
were allowed to leave the city as we pleased.”
The very thought of leaving the city just wasn’t within my comprehension
at such a young age. I knew from the age
of three not to go beyond any pylons that surrounded the city. A bright red glow comes from the pylon tops
throughout the day, but is most distinguishable during any evening hour.

Dad continued by telling me the rulers had these pylons installed as
their first act of “civil ordinance.” The
rulers did not state what these pylons did and it only took a few deaths for
the entire city to realize that the city was encased in an invisible field of
electricity. Once my senses were good
enough, he took me to the fence. He
wanted me to recognize the sound of the fence and continued to take me to
various areas of the city until I could recognize the fence from a quarter mile
away. This took months of trips all over
the city, but once I satisfied my dad that I could hear the fence before seeing
it, I wasn’t to return until I was older.

The conversation with my dad took all night long. There was so much for him to tell and there
was so much that I wanted to hear. He
tried to get me to rest so he could tell me more in the morning, but I insisted
he tell me everything. It was the only
time in my life I had noticed him hesitate about anything, but he finally
agreed to tell me the rest if he could take a shower first. I was already under the sink before he could
get into the shower and he did something he’d never done before.

He opened the sink cabinet and spoke softly, “Now son, I want you to
stay underneath there until I tell you otherwise. No speaking or questions until I say it’s
okay, alright?” I think that might’ve
been the first glimpse of seeing fear in my father’s eyes. I didn’t understand so I just quietly shook
my head without a word, so he knew that I’d already agreed to stay silent. The door shut and I heard his clothes hit the
ground and the shower curtain go back.
The water turned on and I began my normal trend of listening beyond the
water.

My father never finished his shower that night. I didn’t understand why he didn’t get out
when he must’ve heard the men come in. I
heard them almost as soon as the shower started, so he must’ve heard them
right? There were at least three sets of
footsteps. I was so confused when the bathroom door blasted open with a thug’s
boot and I didn’t hear any response from my dad. The room was very narrow so he could’ve taken
them one or two at a time, but the careful steps of the thugs proved that they
were cautiously moving on the shower.

The curtain was ripped from its rod and no commotion followed. It was the quietest moment of my life and the
next thing I heard was the most devastating.
Somehow they’d gotten to him before they entered the apartment because
the next thing I hear is the sound of the lifeless body I used to know as my
father being taken from the bathtub. I
heard him being dragged passed the sink, through the living room, out the front
door, down the hallway to the stairwell, and the lack of forgiveness they
showed my father let me hear the sound of his head smacking each of the stairs
as they tossed him down.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

What are things that a pregnant woman says? Yes, my wife is pregnant. She sometimes expresses herself in creative and funny ways. For example, during a long car ride she might describe her need to use the bathroom as "mind over bladder." It's not often that she says these things, but they serve her very well. She really can laugh at anything and I'm glad that she can make light of things that might or should make her grumpy, cranky, or downright rude. So how does this woman that's pregnant take charge of our baby girls' kicks of fury? She describes them to me the best that she can and sometimes provides facial expressions that are an explanation in their own right. There are "whoas" and wide-eyed "she's taking turns on the punching bag."

In most cases, I can provide relief for my wife. Our baby owl decides (most of the time) to go into meditation as soon as my hand reaches the stomach. I don't think of it as anything disappointing. I consider it a gift. And while I try to provide my wife some relief with my "gift" when the kicks are painful, I do my best to offer any words of encouragement that will help to ease the pain. Now there are many things that are amazing, but so few (even ones that are painful) that provide such a sense of personal attachment. One of those things is seeing your wife's stomach move and sometimes feeling your soon-to-be-baby kick. And other amazing things just happen to be the words that fly out of my wife's mouth when she tries to describe that feeling she gets when our baby owl goes on a kicking spree.

"She just roundhouse kicked my vagina." Yes, my wife is pregnant and she said that.

Welcome back for another chapter of New Middleport: The Senses of Weiland Kershaw. The first two chapters have been posted in my earlier blogs. Here is chapter three for your enjoyment.

Chapter 3 (Demonstration
of Loyalty)

I met Cole in the streets of Lockport on my way to a display in our
district. Cole was outnumbered four to
one in an alley behind the death stage.
He was shielding Cassidy, trying to protect her long enough to let her
escape or until he was dead. These
brutes were trying to take advantage of the crowd’s noise to take Cass and do
all the things a brother knows he can’t allow.
They didn’t have any weapons, which stayed Cole’s ability to fend them
off. She turned her head looking behind
them with desperation in her eyes with what seemed like furious hope; hope to
either see someone help him fend off this rat pack or die just as quickly to
avoid the onslaught of offenses these men had in mind. I’d never seen such determination
before. It was when Cole shouted, “RUN!”
that her eyes met mine as I continued walking in their direction.

I don’t know if it was instinct, morality, or those eyes that led me
to his side that day, but there was no hesitation once the decision was
made. I held the heel of my knife so the
blade hides underneath my jacket. The
first two don’t recognize that their throats are open until I’ve stepped back
from their initial rush attack to see the blood coming from my sleeve. The coughing and gasping cause enough
confusion to incapacitate the other two before Cole can even understand that
it’s over. Cassidy was holding onto Cole
as if his life depended on it. It was
this moment that made me realize how lonely my life had become, although I
couldn’t understand if it was the thought of family or Cassidy that drew out
this desire for another person’s touch.

***

“Do you remember where you should go when you’re in absolute danger?”

“Yes dad.”

“Good. You’re only to go there
when you are being hunted relentlessly or are severely injured. This person is close to me, so you know you
can trust her. She knows who you are and
will help you without question when you knock on her door.”

My dad smiles because he always welcomes my questions and never makes
me feel ashamed for asking anything. It
prepared me for the world.

“She is in hiding and can’t risk being seen unless it is absolutely
necessary. And you are the only one
she’ll risk that for, so do you understand how important that makes you to her
to risk so much?”

“So, she cares for me like you do?”

“Very good son. Now you
understand the importance of depending on yourself more than anyone else. It will be your judgment that protects you
more than anything, which will keep her safe until you have no other choice but
to seek her out.”

***

“This definitely doesn’t seem like a rosy situation.”

“Sure it does Cole, just wait until they flower the tombs of these
two.” And there it is, the reason I
trust Jayden more than anyone else. I
can’t help but give a quick smirk, which never goes well with Cole. “Okay, the situations are never rosy,” as Jay
tries to make sure Cole doesn’t go into overload thinking of himself being up
there with Cassidy.

“The guy looks familiar, but I’ve never seen the girl,” I admit.

“That’s the Lawson kid. I work
with him up in the mines. He started a
couple of years after me, but he’s probably put in more hours than anyone has.”

The conversation stops with the rest of the crowd as another whip lash
comes down on his back, but that’s not what the mob goes quiet over. Inna walks over with a pair of scissors to
the device holding this poor soul upright.
All of his extremities are stretched out. His arms are being held up by his fingers, as
each finger is twined around the tips and wrapped around the hanging bar. The hanging bar, another thing I’ve never
seen used until today. Hangings are too
quick to try and pry loose any tongues of the mob.

None of us have to ask why that girl is up there being made to witness
this horrific scene, because we don’t know, and it is normally the girl that
would be on display. All of us look at
each other knowing the question that we all dare not ask aloud, “Has the
rebellion done something to invoke this change in tactics?”

Up to this point, the young man has displayed great strength by not
crying or screaming or pleading for his life to end. His resolve seems to come by keeping his eyes
fixed on the young girl. This doesn’t
make sense, why torture him when the girl will more than likely get a response
from the crowd? The awful sound of bone
being cut brings about some noises of those in the crowd losing their boiled
turnips they had for breakfast all over the street.

It’s only when two fingers remain to hold up his right arm that he
finally turns his face away from the girl.
Even though he doesn’t make a sound, I can only guess that he doesn’t
want her to see the tears that have boiled over from the pain. This small action seems to break what’s left
of the little girl’s heart.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Welcome back for another chapter of New Middleport: The Senses of Weiland Kershaw. My last blog included chapter one and here is chapter two for your enjoyment.

Chapter 2 (New
Middleport)

“Knock it off Sam!” whispers Lizzy.

“Take it easy sis. I can’t help
it if I want to take charge of this city and turn the rulers into puppets.”

“It’s no wonder that you talk like a child, because you are still
waiting to grow up. What if someone
hears you?”

The apartment is filled with coal dust. Sam finally takes a seat in the musty chair
near the window and submits his quietness with a sigh. It’s been a long shift and there’s no memory
of the last day he had off. Talking
never did seem to be so threatening to him, and working endlessly for little
food was a much better prospect then missing work and getting lashed. Working was also the best way to keep his
sister from the dangers of the city or having to work herself.

“Tails,” he calls trying to end a fight before it begins. “Tails, you take a shower and I cook and
clean. Heads, I shower and you cook and
clean.” The simplest game between the
two breaks a smile on Lizzy’s face. She
pulls the old coin from the small pocket in her jeans and gives it a flip
toward the couch. Its soft landing shows
tails and Sam gets up to start the stove.

“Go ahead and shower,” Lizzy speaks.
“You’ve had a long day. I’ll let
you cook next time.” Sam shows relief on
his face, because he always seems to burn the vegetables even when they’re
somewhat rotten. “Thanks Lizzy.”

Coal drips from his hair as he dries off from the shower. He walks around in his towel, throws on a
shirt, and comes back into the living room.
“How long was I in the shower?”

Smiling her sister says, “Two minutes just as always.” It amazes Sam how much cleaning this girl can
do in such a short period of time. Coal
dust has all but disappeared from the chair he’d just been sitting in, which
has always been his favorite spot to rest.
There is always coal dust around since he started in the mines two years
ago, but Lizzy wants to make it feel like a home as much as possible.

“Mom and dad would be proud sis.”
The mention of their parents almost always brings tears to her eyes, but
he’s never seen her shed one tear since they were killed. Even though Sam’s been doing all the hard
labor, he has always thought that she’s been the toughest. Maybe she feels that being strong will keep
the two of them together and stay a family.
Maybe she doesn’t want to show weakness by allowing herself to cry and
therefore avoiding the fates of their parents.
Lizzy thinks that she will always be in control as long as her tears
don’t boil over. She has always promised
Sam that she would never do to him what her mom did to their dad, “I will never
end your display. Never.” It was comforting to Sam knowing that Lizzy
would never kill him.

There’s a demonstration somewhere nearby. I can hear the crying and despairing chants
of what must be a large crowd. It seems
to be less than a mile away, so it’s still in the Lockport District. I’ve lived in the same apartment in Lockport
my entire life. It’s possibly the
poorest district of New Middleport and probably why I’ve gotten used to
surviving on so little.

There are many that die of starvation in Lockport, but we’re not the
only district that has this problem which is why so many join the OCP. The rebellion has been around for as long as
I can remember, but my father always told me to keep to myself to keep from
getting killed. “Being a member of the
Oppressed Citizens of Port can only lead to death or worse,” he’d say. Unfortunately, you don’t have to be a member
to be caught in some of the traps posted throughout the poorest districts of
Port. Traps are put in various different
places to catch supposed members of the rebellion. These traps can be anything from stun darts
to giant nets to explosive devices. You
can meet a very painful end if you’re not careful. There have been many of all ages that I’ve encountered
all throughout the city that are missing limbs and waiting for death in
agonizing pain.

The rulers do make an effort to remove most of the traps during a
display, so that all witnesses can understand the suffering that come to those
that have been brandished as a rebel, thief, or bait. The rulers, particularly Inna Kendrick, enjoy
taunting the crowd with those that are being tortured simply as bait. She won’t hide the fact that they’re
bait. Inna wants the crowd to save the
bait and there’s only one way to do that.
The mob must turn in a member of the OCP. The crowd doesn’t always turn, which means
the bait will be killed, but bait is never let go until someone takes her
place. Bait is almost always a
girl. Some will volunteer to take a girl’s
spot before the whips, blades, or scissors are even brought out. These volunteers are usually not rebels,
which makes those that aren’t members of the OCP despise the rebel cause and
forget the tyranny of its leaders.

Those that hate the rebellion will usually earn more food by working
for the rulers. Enforcers are always
anti-rebels. They come in large numbers
to protect the rulers, all demonstrations, and of course the transportation
plant.

I see Jay before he calls out my name, “Weiland!” Jay and Cole are already out and about today,
which is a good sign that they haven’t gotten into any trouble. “Jay.
Cole. What’s the display?” I could easily look around the corner of the
building, but it’s a simple show of trust to let them tell me before I see it
for myself.

“It’s not good W.K. Inna’s got
a pair of baiters up on stage.” Jay’s
lack of humor this morning leads me to believe this is definitely not a normal
death show. “I don’t recall there ever
being more than one person on display before.
Do you?”

Cole sounds understandably nervous. He would do anything to protect Cassidy and anything outside of the twisted normalcy we've grown accustomed to puts up an alarm for all of us. No is the only response I give to Cole to try and present as much calm in my voice as possible.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Over the next few weeks, I will be offering a free preview of several chapters of New Middleport: The Senses of Weiland Kershaw. This dystopian fiction book is the first in a series revolving around a main character that uses extraordinary senses to survive in a city controlled by ruthless rulers. I wanted to take this opportunity to share a preview of my first book as a sneak peak into the fall release of part two that I'm currently working on.

Chapter 1 (Weiland
Kershaw)

I know something is wrong when the shower cuts off. It’s fortunate that all showers are only
programmed for two minutes; otherwise, whoever has entered my hole of an
apartment might’ve gotten the drop while I rinsed the daily filth. You wouldn’t think that two minutes is enough
time to break into an apartment quietly, but I guess it wouldn’t be a normal
day without someone being killed.

***

“Do you hear that Weiland?” I
remember when my dad would sit me underneath the bathroom sink during his
showers. The cabinet doors to the sink
would be closed, and it was his way of trying to adapt my ears to hear beyond
outside noises. I respond as innocently
as possible, “Other than the water?” My
dad appreciated my humor when I was ready to answer his questions
correctly. He used to say that humor is
the only way to see beyond the sunshine.

“The stove is on. I can hear
the coils firing up.” My dad
acknowledges me with a quick laugh, which means he’s very happy that I’ve
guessed correctly. He adds, “Soon you’ll
be able to notice the change in temperature, but there will be time for
that.” He exits the shower and I stay
below until he’s gotten dressed. My
father always wanted me to be able to feel or know the answer by experiencing
the solution rather than attempting to guess.
This would include hiding underneath the sink to test my sense of
hearing, jumping from the tall dresser to the mattress on the floor to test my
sense of velocity and timing, and sometimes he would teach me to recognize
traps that could harm, not only the senses that I had been attempting to
acutely increase, but my life as well.

My dad would tell me that having a sense of things can help to avoid
bad situations, but also there would come a time when I would want to have
companionship beyond “dear old dad.” I
didn’t understand at such a young age, but he eventually made me realize that
relying on your senses would help you to trust others; however, more times than
not these instincts would tell you who not to trust. He would take me to public displays to help
me understand the consequences of trusting the wrong person. These displays are always in various
locations, so sometimes we would trek to the ends of the city to watch. The additional reprimand of these shows is
the fact that they’re done near the residence of relatives whenever possible,
which is almost a blessing compared to being displayed at the center of New
Middleport. There has never been a sole
survivor that was displayed at the center.
This area is the most vacant part of the city, because people are afraid
to make a mistake when they are so close to what everyone has deemed the death
show.

“Do you remember where the weapons are hidden in the apartment? Do you remember where all the exits are in
the apartment? Do you remember where you
should go when you are in absolute danger?”
My answer was always the same.

***

It’s a three man team this time.
Anyone that’s not a tracker calls them the breeds. They normally scour the areas beyond the
city, as they are the only ones besides the rulers that are legally allowed to
leave Middleport, but they must be stretched for help if the breeds are coming
across my doorstep for a second time.
They’re in charge of New Middleport recruitment, which is the rulers’
way of making them sound light-hearted like they’re going around and teaching
people how to toast marshmallows. Breeds
are thug trackers that abduct individuals or even whole families for many
reasons that are not for the faint of heart.
New Middleport is always in need of workers, spies, thugs, enforcers,
and even bait. If you get abducted,
death will come one way or the other.

The rulers are good that way.
They have their ways of smoking out those that would vocalize displeasure
with their city. Spies are endless in
the port. They can be a stranger, they
can be a friend, or they can even be a family member. A spy has one goal, which is to catch someone
doing something wrong and let the rulers make an example of those that are
caught. A spy is a bottom feeder,
because they’ll accept anything as a reward to be a spy. Some are forced into being a spy, but it’s
still a choice to betray those closest to you.
There’s no denying that the term killed has become a staple in the daily
life of port people. The port is the
nickname for New Middleport, because most people have to struggle to find used
goods, let alone anything remotely new and there’s nothing middle class about
such poor living conditions.

“Now where was I? Oh, right. You and your two thugs, excuse me, you and
these two now quiet thugs were looking for something in this residence.” The third breed is looking up at me from one
knee, grasping the other in obvious pain.
I put the blade so close to his eye he doesn’t dare blink because of
fear that he will get cut again. The
other two were fortunate. They went
quickly and without the fear. Blood is pooling
up so quickly around his feet now, I give him a quick smirk knowing that I’ve
cut him correctly. “If you were lucky
enough to bring liquid protein that cut might not end your life.” His eyes give him away.

His glance toward one of his fallen trackers tells me they have some. The thug knows there's only one end coming between the two of us now that I know there's something of value and he makes a futile attempt to pull a knife from his boot. His fingertips can only wish they were close enough to grab at something as he tastes another quick stab. At this point, he can only squirm at his neck as he falls to the floor. He gives me his final pale stare within a few seconds. It is a gruesome scene, but nothing less if they would've gotten their hands on me first. At least I gave them some dignity of ending it without demonstration.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

I run to clear my mind. I run to think. I run to listen to music. I run to be healthier. I run because it's fun. I run because it's difficult.

I guess the number one reason I run is because I want to. It's never easy and there are sometimes aches and pains. Sometimes my lungs can't sustain a long run. Sometimes my legs can't sustain a long run. It's okay if I can't run forever and ever and it's okay if I stop during a run. I'm not a professional athlete or a very good runner, but you could call me the king of stop and go. I run until I can't muster any more strength. Then I stop and walk. Then after I've gotten enough wind back, I get back to running. This practice goes on and on until it's time for me to get back home. I don't track how long I run or how far I go, at least not always, and that's okay too.

I'm comfortable with running. I understand that it's something that I want to do and not something I need to do to prevent my heavier days. Yes I'm tall, but it doesn't mean that 285lbs is good for a tall person. Well, maybe if you are a defensive end for the NFL. It's been a while since I was that lazy and chose to eat an unhealthy diet at all hours of the night. I'm definitely not perfect, but I've changed some things over the past few years. I want to do everything I can to be here as long as I can for my family, which is about to be a plus one at the dinner table soon. That's a pretty good reason to keep up with moderation. Now don't get me wrong, I love ice cream. And when I say ice cream, I mean it's the only reason I want to eat cake, cookies, or brownies. There needs to be some ice cream on top. And yes, some might say that I go overboard when I do eat ice cream. I'm working on that.

Back to running. I like the feeling you get a few hours after running. My lungs feel relaxed. My body feels relaxed. I feel happy that I've gone for a run. It's the small things, but it doesn't take much to please this cat. I want to be healthy when I can, splurge on ice cream when I can (in moderation of course), and just run when I can. I don't have a perfect system, but I feel happy with the decisions I've made with food and exercise. I'm happy that my wife and I both make good decisions with food and exercise. We go for walks when we can and she goes to pregnancy yoga and I run. I'll sometimes get on an elliptical machine to spare my knees, but it's definitely not the same. The freedom to just run and put myself on cruise control is splendid. I listen to some great tunes, zone out (with the exception of checking for traffic), and just keep going until it's time for me to get back home.

I guess I could've just said I like to run and maybe that would explain it just as well as what I just blabbered on about. Maybe I could've explained it in four easy words. Perhaps there isn't any need to explain the simplicity of it all and why something so simple can make a person happy. I guess I can give it a shot.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

I've mentioned before in earlier posts that I used to list my favorite songs on instant messenger during college. I would post lyrics and my favorite songs for a given day or week in my profile (and away messages). It was so fun to share what I was listening to with my friends. I haven't done it since college and I completely forgot about it until a Twitter post. I'd like to thank Tom Hiddleston; you might recently know him as Loki in Thor and The Avengers. He posts a "Song of the Day" and it completely sent me back several years to my college days.

I want to continue to post songs of the day (via Twitter) and it's great to see the response from others that will favorite or retweet these songs. I had a huge response last night with my song dedicated to the first day of summer; "Stormtrooper" by Pepper. If you are unaware of Pepper, they have a great sound. I spent the summer of 2006 in San Diego with a friend, while I completed an internship. We went to the beach every weekend and many week nights. Every time we were on the beach, we would blast Pepper's Kona Town. It quite possibly could be the best beach music and better yet, the best summer music. They have some mellow beats. They have some upbeat beats. It's just a fantastic sound. I think of that summer, the beach, and the many days I played their songs in college each and every time I listen to this band. And how can that be a bad thing for someone that lives on the east coast in Baltimore and encounters winter every year?

Pepper can turn around anyone's bad mood. The songs are infused with a sense of fun in the sun and remind me that there's a beach somewhere and the ocean breeze is brushing against me with my feet kicked up in the air. I don't know about you, but that ability to transfer such a connection to someone is what makes a band worthwhile.

Again, a special thanks to Tom Hiddleston for reminding me that it is fun to share your music favorites with friends. I'd also like to send an additional thanks to everyone that either favorited or rewtweeted my song of the day, which does include Pepper and Law Records. Yeah, that's pretty cool.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

The Academie is another great example of why I love dystopian fiction. Amy Joy brings you a story filled with a mysterious school, unthinkable laws, and a main character that is trying to deal with these laws that force her to attend this school. Allie, the main character, attempts to adapt to a new life in The Academie, while trying to remember everything that she left behind.

Amy Joy does an excellent job in transferring Allie's emotions to the reader. There were several moments that I found myself smiling, while reading exchanges between Allie and her beau. This wonderful story provides elements that allow the reader to cheer for the heroine, while enjoying any reason she has to be sassy.

This book leaves you wanting more and I'm really looking forward to a sequel.

You can find this same review and The Academie for purchase on Amazon.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Every single day I try to fit too many things into my schedule. I try to write. I try to blog. I try to search FB and tweet with others. I do dishes. I sometimes cook. I try to do anything I can to make Meghan's pregnancy easier. One thing I always have time for, especially on my trek to and from work, is music. Now don't be alarmed. I sometimes am a little enthusiastic when I'm alone in my car and listening to some great tunes. This should not scare you. It might be a good opportunity to mock or laugh, but never fear.

My music tastes originate from my mom like my sporting tastes come from my dad. I grew up listening to U2, Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi, Madonna, Queen, Genesis/Phil Collins, and so many other bands that include one hit wonders that I couldn't tell you the name of the band unless I looked it up. Now, my favorite song of the 80s at the time could possibly be Run-DMC and Aerosmith performing "Walk This Way." The end of the 80s and beginning of the 90s included LL Cool J and if anyone asked me my favorite song at its release, it was "Mama Said Knock You Out." I think it wasn't until just recently that I got rid of that single on tape. There was also R.E.M., Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, Metallica, and so many others.

Music is a great way for me to unwind or get energized for any given day. During my college years, I used to post songs of the week and day. I would update my posts via AIM. Do we all remember AIM? I haven't gotten on instant messenger in probably five years, but I used to update my profile with songs, albums, and lyrics. And there wasn't any particular reason to do it other than to share what music I was really enjoying. So I think I might get back into that just for fun.

I'll be tweeting a song of the day every day at @STLakata so feel free to stop by and check it out. I will also occasionally post my favorite songs from the 90s, 00s, or today. For now, here's a list of some favorite songs while I was in college:

Figure.09 by Linkin Park

Thoughtless by Korn

Beverly Hills by Weezer

Just A Phase by Incubus

Sympathetic by Seether

The Wicked End by A7X

Same Old Song by Sev

Confessions by Bleed The Dream

The Man Who Sold The World (cover) by Nirvana

Street Carp by Deftones

Dani California by Red Hot Chili Peppers

King of Comedy by R.E.M.

Beautiful Disaster by 311

Across the Night by Silverchair

Tahitian Moon by Porno for Pyros

Gone by U2

Nothing to Lose by Billy Talent

Face Plant by Pepper

This is just a small glimpse of some favorites from my college years. I hope everyone will share their favorite songs and stay tuned for future blogs that may have a touch of the alternative.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

If you had to watch a movie in theater again, what movie would you watch? I really enjoy seeing flicks in theater, but I've been much more frugal over the past couple of years. I've already seen The Avengers in theater, but would love to see it again. I have seen several movies over and over again in the theater, but they have to be great to see them multiple times. I believe that The Avengers is one of those movies. It's just so cleverly done. Sometimes, you'll see a movie and there are lines meant to be funny or serious and it just feels forced. That's not the case in this movie. It's really cool to see a group of good actors come together for a comic book film, especially since comics were part of my earlier years. Okay, I admit that I wouldn't mind getting back into them. Comic books are so fun and can have fantastic stories, images, and color, which make them obvious for translating to film.

I've heard people contradict the believability of comic book movies. I'll paraphrase what I've heard, "How can the Black Widow fight these monsters with just a gun? She doesn't have any super powers." That's what comic books are; they are the ultimate definition of imagination being brought to life. And what else are movies for that matter. Aliens break through a mystical wormhole and super heroes fight these aliens to save the planet, but a character's lack of super powers is what seems to be unbelievable? Sometimes, that's what makes someone a super hero. I'm also very curious and love to talk about movies. What movie would you love to see again in the theater? I would love to see The Avengers and would probably like to see that again over some other movies that I have yet to see. On a side note, I'm surprised that they don't bring popular older movies back in theaters more often. Pulp Fiction was brought back a short period after its initial release was over back in '94ish. I am pretty sure that a lot of people would love to see that movie in theater again.

What other movies would be great to see again in theater? How about The Godfather, The Silence of the Lambs, The Hustler, The Goonies, Apollo 13, Hot Fuzz, Bad Boys, Forrest Gump, Iron Man, Die Hard, or The Shawshank Redemption? These are just a few that I thought of, but who wouldn't want to see these movies in theater again? Well, for right now, I'll settle for seeing The Avengers again while it's still in theaters now. In the meantime, I think I might look through my collection of comic books.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Sometimes, just sometimes, you hear a song from a band that wows you. You listen to this song, then you immediately want to find more songs from this band, and then before you know it you've found a new favorite band. This has recently happened to me and now I'll share a little blurb about this band.

Zander Bleck is the band that you will soon learn is a
dynamic star that will explode from country to country with its sound. It’s a sound that we haven’t heard in some
time, yet we’ll question if we’ve ever heard it before. Zander Bleck infuses a great beat, guitar
riffs that activate the chorus and vocals that urge you to listen, which is
quite evident in their hit song “Temptation."

This band may be compared to other bands and maybe you can
hear a sound that includes a contemporary sound of Muse and a flash of Queen,
but Zander Bleck is just beginning on a journey that will define an era that
music fans will not be able to ignore. The
sound is epoch and it’s what we’ve been waiting for to soothe our hearts when
all we want is to completely immerse ourselves in great music.